Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola expects a strong challenge against Luton Town in the FA Cup fifth round.
City, who won their eighth FA Cup by defeating Manchester United 2-1 in the final at Wembley Stadium last season, will visit Kenilworth Road on Tuesday.
They triumphed 2-1 at Luton in the league in December, but Guardiola believes the promoted club, which is third from bottom in the standings, has progressed significantly since.
“It makes no difference whether you’re facing a team from the top, bottom, or middle of the Premier League. “The challenge is to play fearlessly,” Guardiola told reporters.
“They play through direct channels, but they have the potential; they have progressed significantly in their build-up play since we last played them. “They have improved their ball skills significantly.”It’s a Premier League side away in the FA Cup; I wouldn’t expect anything different in all the years I’ve been in England.”
City closed the gap on league leaders Liverpool to one point with a 1-0 win at Bournemouth over the weekend.
City, chasing a fourth consecutive league title, are second in the rankings with 59 points, one more than third-placed Arsenal.
Guardiola stated that the motivation to retain their success following a treble-winning season has not changed.
“I have no doubt that we will attempt. There are just two, two-and-a-half months left in the season, and we have arrived,” the Spaniard added.
“From tomorrow, every game we play is like a final: the decisive part of the season is here, and we are going for it.”We understand how difficult it is to play in the final 16 of any competition, but it is a good test of our rhythm and mental consistency. Everyone understands what we have to play for in the coming month.
With winger Jack Grealish and defender Josko Gvardiol nearing a return to action following injuries, City has an advantage heading into the title run-in.
Guardiola remarked, “We train this afternoon, but I think everybody is fine.” “He (Gvardiol) is good, I don’t know, but he is training without much pain.”